Woman denies killing drug dealer for money

A convicted murderer has denied strangling a Perth drug dealer to steal a bag full of money and drugs.

Rebecca Anne Hall, who was sentenced last week for the murder of Diana Lesley Matthews, continued her testimony on Thursday at the trial of Allan Bradley McIntosh, 38, who is also accused of murdering Ms Matthews.

Ms Matthews, 46, was found in a pond at Rockingham Regional Memorial Park in April 2011.

Hall previously told the West Australian Supreme Court that she witnessed McIntosh strangle the woman with wire before helping him dump the body in water.

But under cross-examination on Thursday, it was suggested that Hall had grabbed Ms Matthews as she tried to leave a car they were doing a deal in and strangled her with a necklace the victim was wearing.

She said McIntosh had earlier joked about stealing money and drugs from Ms Matthews but she did not think he would do it.

The court heard McIntosh, who was in the back seat, convinced Ms Matthews to remain in the front passenger seat and travel with them so he could collect his keycard to pay her for some drugs.

When Ms Black asked Hall if it was an "entirely unexpected event" and a "totally out of the blue", Hall replied: "Yep".

But Hall could not explain why she shook her head "no" at McIntosh shortly before he allegedly strangled Ms Matthews, claiming that she did not think there was anything suspicious leading up to that moment.

"I wasn't sure what his intentions were," she said.

The court previously heard Hall had pleaded guilty and became the first murderer in WA to not be sentenced to life behind bars.